Books on Screen: Thomas & The Runaway Kite

We knew that Thomas and the Runaway Kite was headed to our mailbox and everyday we checked in hopeful anticipation. As luck would have it, mommy had a girl’s night out the day that Thomas finally arrived so my three and a half year old got to watch it the first time with Daddy. When I arrived home that night I asked what he thought of Thomas’ new movie. “It was really fun!” he said, and told me about some of the new-to-him characters. I scheduled a popcorn date with my son for the following day and I finally got to sit down and watch this much anticipated new Thomas film with my boy.

I don’t even want to tell you how many times we’ve watched Thomas and the Runaway Kite. I just really don’t want to say. I think it’s enough to be able to tell you, without reservation, that we liked it.

There are Thomas fans and there are Thomas fans as I’m sure you all know. I wouldn’t say that Bookworm1 is a super, duper huge Thomas fan. He loves the stories, the characters, knows who they all are, etc., (but octopuses and sealife being his Main Thing, Thomas lags a bit). We have the wooden train set and I have no idea how many Thomas books lay scattered around our house. Thomas the Tank engine is a (in my humble opinion) unobjectionable character and fun entertainment.

In this particular new story, there is to be a kite flying contest on the Island of Sodor. Sir Topham Hatt’s grandchildren are hoping to enter the contest, but their kite gets away from them. Thomas offers to help catch their kite, declaring he is the fastest little engine that ever was and, by golly, if anyone can get that kite for them – he can! He declines the offers of help from other engines and quickly discovers that a little team work would be very useful to him. As it is with all of the Thomas stories, there are little lessons to be learned about teamwork, perseverance, kindness, and learning to be useful. These stories are no different. However, this particular new Thomas story is “In Full Steam CGI Animation!” We’ve only seen the “old” Thomas videos where you see the little model trains being used and a narrator tells the story. In Thomas and the Runaway Kite the trains each have their own voice and their mouths move. It’s not a cartoon. It’s CGI animation. (And no. I cannot explain it any other way.)

Personally, I prefer the old narrated version of Thomas but my son would disagree. He enthuastically informed me, “Mommy! Did you know THOMAS can TALK!?!?!” So he can, son! So he can!

It’s different, but it’s still Thomas. Therefore we still thoroughly enjoy him.

Would you like a chance to see Thomas and the Runaway Kite? (Oh. Wait. Perhaps I should have asked, “Would your CHILDREN like a chance to see this?”) Well, just leave a comment below! We have one copy of the new Thomas DVD, Thomas and the Runaway Kite to give away to one of you really useful readers engines.

With two toots from my steam whistle, I wish you the best! We’ll announce the winner in our March 24 giveaway review column.

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Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know and Reading My Library.

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